Time for a little bit of March Madness!

AEW Rampage starts a little later tonight but it’s just as hot! Team Taz warned Keith Lee, but he’s still coming! Will Max Caster #BaskInHisGlory?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Darby Allin w/ Sting VS The Butcher w/ The Blade; Darby wins.
• Red Velvet VS Leyla Hirsch; Velvet wins.
• Six Man Tag: The House of Black VS Fuego Del Sol & Bear Country; The House of Black wins.
• Keith Lee VS Max Caster w/ Anthony Bowens; Keith wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Darby Allin w/ Sting VS The Butcher w/ The Blade & The Bunny!

Things have been heating up between the Relentless One, the Icon, and the Andrade Family Office. Butcher owes Darby for a busted hand, will he bust up Darby’s face?

The bell rings and fans rally as these two circle. Fans rally behind Darby, he throws his jacket at Butcher but Butcher throws it away. They approach, Darby dodges Butcher, and the two circle again. Butcher tries to corner Darby but Darby slips around to fire off! Fans fire up but Butcher eggs Darby on! Darby SLAPS, Butcher shoves, but Darby SHOTGUN dropkicks! Coffin Splash, then another! Butcher RAMS Darby to the other corner and fires off hands! Butcher DECKS Darby, then shoves him into the cameraman! The ring count starts while Darby is down. Butcher paces, but Darby gets up at 4 of 10.

Darby gets near but Butcher swipes at him. Darby goes around the way, baits Butcher, but the count is climbing! Butcher wants after Darby but Darby SLAPS him! Darby dares Butcher to do something, then he gets in to build speed and DIVE! Darby hits railing with Butcher! But Darby gets back up, stomps Butcher as he gets in, and fires off palm strikes! Darby fires up, runs, COFFIN- Caught! But Darby bends fingers! Butcher CLUBS Darby, then hits a BACKBREAKER! And then a SIDE SLAM! Cover, TWO! Sting stays stoic while Butcher looms over Darby. Butcher drags Darby up but Darby BITES those fingers!

The ref counts, but Butcher fires off forearms! Darby stops biting, and then Butcher DECKS Darby again! Butcher drags Darby up but Darby BITES the bad hand! Butcher drags Darby around, stomps Darby, and his hand is free. Butcher shakes out his bad hand, is more careful as he brings Darby up, and he bumps Darby off buckles, before a LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Butcher is frustrated but fans rally up for Darby. Butcher drags Darby around and stomps him more. Sting fires the fans up and Butcher drags Darby up. Butcher SWINGS Darby around by his neck before THOSSING him away!

Darby writhes after hitting ropes on the landing. Sting backs Blade off, but Blade talks trash. Butcher kicks Darby to the floor, then stands on Darby’s head. Butcher kicks Darby, the ref reprimands. Butcher stalks Darby, then CLOBBERS him again! Darby sputters while Butcher goes into the ring. Butcher goes back out to fetch Darby, and he stares Sting down. Darby crawls while Rampage goes picture in picture.

Butcher CLUBS Darby against the apron, then POSTS him! Darby wobbles, Butcher puts him in the ring, and Darby gets to a corner. Butcher runs corner to corner, and clotheslines Darby down! Darby flounders to another corner, Butcher takes aim and he runs in again, for another clothesline! Butcher soaks up the heat as he paces around. Darby crawls to yet another corner, and Butcher runs in again, for another clothesline! Darby somehow makes it to the fourth corner, Butcher wants to complete the set! Darby drags himself up, Butcher runs in, but Darby BOOTS him! Darby hops up as Rampage returns to single picture.

Darby leaps, but Butcher catches his legs! TEXAS CLOVERLEAF! Darby endures, reaches out, claws and crawls, but Butcher drags him away! Butcher flips Darby through to POWERBOMB him! And then back to the TEXAS CLOVERLEAF! Darby endures, reaches out for Sting, and he gets the ROPEBREAK! Butcher lets go, Darby flops to the floor. Butcher goes out after Darby, gets the legs and deadlifts Darby, but Darby grabs ropes! Darby kicks Butcher then hops on for a sleeper! Darby fires off crossface forearms, but Butcher POSTS Darby again! Butcher gets back in the ring, just to refresh the count.

Butcher drags Darby around again, and he SWINGS him into the railing! And again! And then into steel steps! Butcher drops Darby and gets back in the ring, but comes back and runs in, only to hit steel steps! Darby stomps away on the bad arm, then hops on, CODE RED to the floor! Fans fire up and Darby gets up to the apron. And then up top!? SUPER COFFIN DROP!! Both men are down but the fans are all fired up! Darby drags himself into the ring and somehow Butcher drags himself up. But then he falls! The count is 10, Darby wins!

Winner: Darby Allin, by count-out

The Relentless One gets a big win, but here comes El Idolo and company! But Private Party attacks from behind! Sting DECKS Kassidy and fights Quen, Darby goes after Blade! But that’s 3v2, the AFO is getting the advantage! Andrade joins his employees, but here come the HARDY BOYZ! Matt & Jeff hurry down and run off everyone else! The Hardys help Darby to his feet, this is clearly only escalating between them all! Matt gets the mic to say that with numbers even, AFO should get their asses in the ring. Fans want to see that! Andrade and his faction step up, but then they back off. There’s no money in brawling.

Matt tells them this then. If they’re all too chicken sh*t to get in the ring here tonight, how about Dynamite in Austin? It’ll be an 8 Man TEXAS TORNADO TAG! Butcher, Blade, Private Party VS The Hardy Boyz, Darby & STIIIIING! Andrade talks it over with his team, will this battle be big money?

AEW hears from Scorpio Sky, Dan Lambert & Paige VanZant.

The Closer says he successfully defended his TNT Championship on Dynamite, and since then, all he’s heard are excuses. Losers make excuses for not getting this or that! Guess what? You keep making excuses, Scorpio will keep making history! Lambert says Scorpio makes history every day with that unbeaten streak of his! Lambert makes history by being co-champion (uh, just wearing the belt doesn’t count…) and Paige made history by signing her contract on Tay Conti’s beaten body. Tell ’em what you bring, Paige!

Paige says she looks better than any woman has a right to, fights better than any man could ever hope to, and prints more money than the Federal Reserve. Jump on the bandwagon now, or get run over! Will American Top Team look to take over AEW one move at a time?

Red Velvet VS Leyla Hirsch!

Kris Statlander wasn’t the only friend LEGIT Leyla betrayed. The Chef defended Leyla and yet was proven wrong time and again. Will Velvet make up for mistaking Leyla for a good friend by ending it here? Or will Leyla use Velvet as nothing more than a stepping stone towards the title?

They don’t even wait for the bell, they brawl on the ramp! Leyla gets around, waistlocks, but Velvet blocks to switch! Velvet snap suplexes Leyla to the ramp! Double-edged given how hard that stuff is, but Velvet gets herself up. Velvet drags Leyla up, brings her to the ring and puts her in. The bell sounds and now it’s official! Leyla crawls to ropes, Velvet runs in to KNEE her down! Then STANDING MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Leyla shoves Velvet away and goes to a corner. Velvet storms over but is put in the corner for big forearms! Leyla CHOPS, and CHOPS, then mocks stirrin’ it up. Leyla whips, runs in, but Velvet elbows back!

Velvet puts Leyla in the corner, fires off hands, then stomps away! The ref counts, Velvet lets off and fans fire up as she goes up the corner. Velvet rains down fists, and she gets 5 before Leyla trips her up! Leyla then stomps Velvet, rolls her around, then KICKS her down! Leyla gloats then covers, ONE! Leyla pushes Velvet around but Velvet hit backs and Leyla CLUBS Velvet as Rampage goes picture in picture.

Leyla chokes Velvet on the ropes, but the ref counts. Leyla lets off, argues with the ref, then slaps Velvet around. Velvet kicks back, Leyla stomps her down. Leyla drags Velvet to a corner, then stomps. Leyla digs her boot in, the ref counts, but Leyla lets off and talks some trash. Leyla flexes, but Velvet kicks her again. Leyla stomps, then goes up the corner to soak up heat. Leyla hops down but Velvet fires off more hands! Leyla CLUBS her down, then drags Velvet around to CHOKE her! Leyla lets off again, and KICKS Velvet in the back! Leyla taunts Velvet, but Velvet still hits back. Leyla fires off on Velvet, then suplexes her high and hard!

Leyla kicks Velvet around, stands on her for a cocky cover, TWO! Velvet flounders but Leyla drags her up. Velvet throws more body shots, then runs, but Leyla ROCKS her with a forearm! Leyla wrenches, WRINGS Velvet out, then paces to soak up heat. Leyla taunts Velvet, drags her back up and Rampage goes to break.

Rampage returns and both women get up, for Velvet to start rallying with big forearms! Velvet bobs ‘n’ weaves to ROLLING ELBOW! Body shots, kidney shouts, and a kick to the legs, for a SHORT BULLDOG! Velvet runs, wheelbarrows, BIG BULLDOG! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up and Velvet tunes up the band! Velvet spins, but no Slice! Leyla gets under for a SHOULDER CAPTURE SUPLEX! Velvet has a rough landing but Leyla DEADLIFT GERMANS! Leyla holds on, flips Velvet over, LEGIT ARMBAR!! Velvet endures, flails, clasps hands, reaches out with a leg, ROPEBREAK with a toe!

The ref counts, Leyla holds until 4! Velvet gets to the corner, Leyla runs in but misses the knee! Velvet BOOTS Leyla out! Velvet drags Leyla up but Leyla HOTSHOTS the arm! Leyla gets that spare crossbar again! Leyla gets in with it, but Kris Statlander runs out to snatch it from her! No more alien face paint, but she has a streak in her hair. Velvet yanks Leyla back, SCREW HIGH KICK! Cover, Velvet wins!!

Winner: Red Velvet, by pinfall

The Chef gets the assist and Leyla is on the losing end! Kris glares at Leyla, perhaps things aren’t over between them, either.

AEW hears from QT Marshall.

“The whole world is still buzzing about what Hook did to me at Revolution.” Even Mama Marshall had to ask if he was okay. QT said he wasn’t upset, he was proud. He graduates from High School, the same school as “The Boss,” Bruce Springsteen. But anyway, next week will be the best day of all. He will invited his student to the ring on Rampage and present him with the inaugural QT Marshall Certificate of Accomplishment. Aaron Solo applauds that, but will Hook even want whatever certificate QT has?

Six Man Tag: The House of Black VS Fuego Del Sol & Bear Country!

Malakai Black, Brody King & Buddy Matthews have so far made it through the Death Triangle and Erick Redbeard, among others, but what is next for them? Will they extinguish the Fire of the Sun and break Bronson & Boulder? Or will Los Osos y Fuego burn down the House?

The trios sort out and Bronson starts against Malakai himself. Fans rally up as these two stare down, and Bronson rushes in, but into a leg sweep! Malakai wrenches an arm, has the standing armbar, but Bronson moves around. Malakai stays clamped on, Bron knees low! Bronson throws big forearms and he CLUBS Malakai! Tag to Fuego, Malakai ROUNDHOUSES Bronson down, then blocks Fuego’s kick to throw him down! Boulder gets in, Malakai blocks a kick to JUMP KNEE! Boulder bails out, and Malakai brings Fuego up. Fuego gets away, tags back to Bronson, but Malakai arm-drags Bronson down!

Malakai wrenches, tags in Buddy, and Buddy goes up to DOUBLE STOMP the arm! Buddy stares Fuego down, then eggs Bronson on. Fans rally up, Buddy fires off a strike fest! Kick, stomp to the foot, wrench and WRINGER! Buddy taunts Fuego, pushes Bronson that way and tags in Brody. PENALTY KICK to Bronson’s arm, Brody SENTONS! Brody whips Bronson, Fuego tags in! Brody clotheslines Bronson out, Fuego GAMANGIRIS! Fuego springboards and leaps but is DECKED outta the air! Brody tags Malakai then DECKS Bronson! Malakai tags Buddy, Boulder gets back in and he’s staring down the whole House!

Fans fire up as Boulder is surrounded. He eggs them on, Brody BOOTS him! Buddy KICKS a leg out, Malakai KICKS Boulder’s chest! Feed to Buddy’s KNEE! Feed to Brody’s LARIAT! Fans fire up as Boulder falls out of the ring. Fuego goes up top and missile dropkicks Brody! He fires off forearms and elbows on Buddy and Malakai! He kicks, but Buddy blocks. Malakai takes the ENZIGURI! Buddy waistlocks, Fuego elbows out, dodges Brody, springboard into a KNEE! DIVE onto Boulder! MOONSAULT onto Bronson! SWINGING DEATH VALLEY from Buddy to Fuego! Cover, the House wins!

Winners: The House of Black, by pinfall

Bears and fire could not tear down the House! Will anyone ever be able to stop these three?

Penta Oscuro & Alex Abrahantes speak.

“House of Black, thank you for changing us. We see that you like to hide in the darkness. But in the darkness is where Penta Oscuro feels most alive and strongest. In this life, there are only two things that are guaranteed, and one of which is that The Death Triangle is inevitable! And, CERO MIEDO!” Will Death Triangle regroup and take out the House of Black themselves?

Mark Henry speaks with our main eventers!

Max Caster talks a big game about big man Keith Lee, but does he have anything else he has to say before putting his money where his mouth is? Caster says he isn’t worried, cuz he’s got a lotta money and a lotta mouth. And he’s pretty big, so he can back it up. Keith will be kissing it after the match, and tell ’em why, Bowens! The Acclaimed ain’t afraid of Keith’s King Henry VIII soundin’ ass! Go back to the Renaissance Fair, b*tch! This is their night, their show, EVERYONE loves the Acclaimed!

Keith tells them to listen. To make something clear, Keith doesn’t dislike them. He’s a fan of what The Acclaimed brings. He even likes them saying he’s a king, as they should. Because the reality is this: when you step into the ring with an entity like Keith Lee, you will learn a very painful lesson, so prepare yourself. At the end of the day, The Acclaimed are but a steppingstone for him. You will #BaskInHisGlory. Looks like there’s been enough talk. It’s time for the main event! Will Rampage be Limitless in San Antonio?

Keith Lee VS Max Caster w/ Anthony Bowens!

Platinum Max did a lot of talking already, but here comes a diss rap! “The Acclaimed fightin’ Keith Lee, there’s no hope for ’em. Have him runnin’ like Ted Cruz in a snowstorm! Yo, you must be new here. Those are our colors, man, you need to get some new gear. I’m not Ramon but my words be razorin’. Have you sending pics from bed like Pete Davidson. And this the last time you be at the show. They gonna have to remember you like The Alamo!” SAN ANTONIOOO~! The Acclaimed have arrived! But will Caster’s loss be bigger than Texas?

The bell rings and fans sing for Keith. Keith conducts them, then he circles with Caster. Fans chant, “Keith Lee! Woop woop!” Caster mocks them, approaches, but then dodges Keith to do jumping jacks. Caster pelvic thrusts, but Keith just shakes his head. Keith and Caster approach, tie up, but Caster gets around to push Keith to the ropes. Caster taunts Keith, Bowens applauds, and Caster holds out his hand to say, “Everyone loves the Acclaimed!” But then Keith grabs that hand and knuckle locks it! Keith twists the wrist, then straight arm levers! Caster flails, Keith puts him down and twists the wrist more.

Caster breaks free, uppercuts and dropkicks! Keith wobbles but he blocks the whip! Keith reels Caster in to RAM shoulder to shoulder! And then again! Keith whips but Caster holds ropes to block. Keith keeps on the bad arm, the ref counts the ropebreak, and then the ref has Keith let off. Caster gets a cheap shot in! And he fires boots! Caster runs but Keith HURDLES! Things keep moving, Caster holds ropes to stop himself! Caster is shocked and fans are thunderous for Keith defying physics! Keith blocks a kick, reels Caster in and TOSSES him over head! Fans fire up more as Caster flounders.

Bowens coaches Caster, but here comes Will Hobbs! Team Taz’s Powerhouse taunts Keith but he joins commentary as Rampage goes picture in picture.

Keith is watching Team Taz, but Caster KNEES him out of the ring! Keith lands on his feet but Caster goes out to fire off on him! Caster goes to bump Keith off steps, but Keith blocks! Keith elbows Caster away, then bumps Caster off the apron! Caster staggers away, Keith keeps his eyes on Bowens as he follows Caster. Caster hits back, but Keith just gets mad! Keith ROCKS Caster and Caster falls against railing! Keith refreshes the count, but he keeps Caster from running away into the ring. Keith HEADBUTTS Caster, then has him against railing for a GRIZZLY MAGNUM! Caster crawls away and Keith smirks.

Keith stares Bowens down while he stalks Caster. The ref checks on Caster but he’s up and around the corner again. Keith catches up to Caster, puts him in the ring, but Bowens talks trash. Keith laughs it off, he gets on the apron, but Caster springboards to missile dropkick Keith down! Cover, ONE!! And Caster gets put on the apron from that! Caster hurries back in to BOOT Keith, but Keith sits up. Caster BOOTS again, and then he rains down fists! Caster soaks up the heat then looms over Keith. Keith sits up but Caster clinches. Keith GRIZZLY MAGNUMS! Caster dropkicks Keith down! Cover, TWO!

Keith gets to ropes and Caster stands on Keith’s back to choke him! The ref counts, Caster hops off, but Bowens chokes Keith and gets his shots in! Rampage returns to single picture and fans rally as Keith sputters. Caster throws crossface forearms, but fans rally up for “Keith Lee! Woop woop!” Caster fires off more crossface forearms and then catches his breath. Caster drags Keith up but Keith stands with Caster as a backpack! Keith fights free, Caster CHOPS him! Keith snarls, things speed up, Keith POUNCES Caster out of the ring! Fans fire up and Keith seethes as Caster gets back in.

Keith SPLASHES in the corner, then TOSSES Caster across the way! Keith steadies himself while Caster flounders. Fans rally and Keith stalks Caster. Fans want another but Bowens begs them no. Keith brings Caster up, but Caster kicks the leg, then KICKS Keith in the chest! Then SUPERKICKS! Caster tries to fireman’s carry but Keith is too big for him! Caster bails out on that, but Keith ROCKS, ELBOWS and HEADBUTTS, for a GRIZZLY MAGNUM! Fireman’s carry, BIG BANG CATASTROPHE!! Cover, Keith wins!

Winner: Keith Lee, by pinfall

Platinum Max could not stop the Limitless One, and then Keith stares up at commentary. Keith smirks, Hobbs smirks, and Hobbs heads out already! Hobbs figures what the hell, and they start throwing hands! Starks hurries to help Hobbs with Keith! Then The Acclaimed rush over, and they use the boombox on Keith! Fans boo as the four put Keith in the ring! But here comes SWERVE! And he has a chair! Swerve is all fired up and he rushes the ring! Swerve runs off The Acclaimed and Team Taz, and has a big smile on his face. Swerve and Keith shake hands, uniting against their common enemies! Will Swerve’s House be Limitless in AEW?

My Thoughts:

A great episode again for Rampage! Great opener with Darby and Butcher, and Darby goes so hard with those tope suicidas. Darby wins, and of course we get the set up for the 8 Man Tag I was hoping for. But stepping it up to a Texas Tornado Tag was a great move, that is going to be a lot of fun. And it also gives Andrade an opening to help his team cheat, same as what technically happened for the Revolution Six Man Tornado Tag. Pretty good promo from American Top Team, the best part being Lambert claiming he’s a co-champion. Also good promo from QT to set up a segment with Hook. I totally expect Hook to tear up that certificate then throw QT around by his arm again.

Great match out of Velvet and Leyla, and great appearance by Statlander to stop Leyla from cheating. Velvet gets the win for that reason, but I almost thought Statlander was going to turn on her, too. Statlander isn’t going Heel but she is bringing out a more serious side of her with the alien face paint now more of a lightning bold, and she has the darker colored gear and hair. It’s definitely an avenue she can explore to keep herself going, and maybe we get a more extreme rematch between her and Leyla, like No Disqualification or even Lights Out if it goes that far.

Great Six Man Tag, though it was just a few steps above a squash with how easily Malakai himself was dealing with Fuego & Bear Country. Good promo from Penta and Alex to call out The House of Black and keep that going. They’re definitely doing their best to keep this active while waiting on Fenix’s recovery. Maybe they can even stretch this out with a series of singles matches, like a round robin between the factions. And of course, great promos before the main event, and then just a great main event. Naturally, Keith wins, and that naturally brings Team Taz to ringside. And as I was sensing on Dynamite, Swerve and Keith are joining forces! That’s going to make for great tag matches, like Swerve & Keith VS The Acclaimed, then Swerve & Keith VS Team Taz.

My Score: 8.6/10